Nigerian Army Farms and Ranches Limited, NAFARL, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, with Ivillagro Services Limited to implement President Bola Tinubu‘s directive on achieving food security in the country.
The MoU was signed by the Executive Director of NAFARL, Major-General Chinedu Nnebeife and the Chief Executive Officer of Ivillagro Services, Major Lancelot Anyanya, rtd, yesterday in Abuja.
The signing of the MoU was witnessed by the Acting Director, Legal Services (Army), Colonel Samuel Okebukola.
In his remarks, Major-General Nnabeife said the MoU was in fulfillment of President Tinubu’s directive to the Armed Forces of Nigeria to take advantage of all vast arable lands within the country for agricultural purposes.
He said the army had since keyed into the directives through NAFARL with the launch of “Project Planting of One Million Date Fruit Seedlings”.
According to him, the farm had so far planted over 3,000 out of the projected 5,000 within its land in Giri on over 20 hectares of land.
“So, we are determined to ensure that we key into the federal government’s agricultural initiatives to ensure that we end food insecurity in the country.
“We believe we cannot do it alone and that is why today, we are signing this MoU with Ivillagro, a well-noted indigenous agricultural establishment that is vast in all aspects,” he said.
The NAFARL boss thanked the Chief of Army Staff, COAS, Lieutenant-General Olufemi Oluyede, for giving approval for the signing of the MoU to ensure that they build on the already established collaboration with the firm.
He said the COAS is determined to ensure that the farm grows and assured of his continual support as NAFARL meaningfully contributes its quota to the National Grain Reserve.
On his part, the CEO of Ivillagro said the MoU was a testament to the enduring commitment of the Nigerian Army to food security.
He said their commitment to the enterprise was not driven by business or pecuniary considerations, but an indication of their enduring commitment as Nigerians to make the country a better space for everyone to live in.
“So, I hope that together, we can leverage technology, the institutional goodwill of the Nigerian Army and other players in this vital ecosystem to support first, the army in attaining self-sufficiency.
“We cannot ask for better partners in our commitment as a corporate entity than the Nigerian Army,” he said. (NAN)
